Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Confirming the obvious: The Bonds Home Run Chase has a racial fault line. According to a new poll, 55 percent of minority baseball fans want to see Bonds set the record, but only 34 percent of white baseball fans want to see him set the record. (According to a much-discussed poll last fall, 34 percent of minorities wanted Bonds to break the record.)

40 percent of fans overall want Bonds to break the record, a slight (but notable) increase from the 33 percent last fall. For the record, I am one of those 40 percent.

If you're part of the 60 percent of fans who don't want Bonds to break the record, you might be in the majority, but you'll ultimately be on the losing side of history. He's going to break the record, and you might not like it, but you need to accept it.

Speaking of all-time home runs: Ken Griffey passes Frank Robinson on all-time home run list. Griffey is now in sole possession of 6th place.

MLB Stud: Kason Gabbard, the Red Sox rookie pitcher, who threw a three-hit complete game, a better individual performance than any by the more experienced (and more expensive) pitcher he replaced in the rotation, Curt Schilling.

MLB Dud: Scott Olsen, suspended two games by the Florida Marlins for what the team is calling insubordination. Sounds like a peach of a guy.

Juan Carlos Navarro Watch: The Wizards will regret trading away the Spanish superstar -- let alone to a division rival. The hot rumor is that the Heat want JCN. A Wade-JCN backcourt in Miami would be unfair.

Speaking of Wade: He reportedly won't be rehabbed from his injury in time for training camp. All he needs to be ready for is next spring's playoffs.

NBA Summer, Follow-Up: Let me be clear. By not putting Kevin Durant on my All-Summer First Team, I am not suggesting he won't be a perfectly fine (even great) NBA player. I just didn't think he was one of the Top 5 most impressive rookies of the summer.

Beckham Watch: Gee, that wasn't very interesting. In his first practice with the Galaxy, Beckham... stretched. Oh, and a few kicking drills! Breathless stuff, indeed.

NFL: Chiefs DE Jared Allen is the latest caught in Roger Goodell's "Get Tough" campaign, getting a two-game suspension for a couple of DUIs -- but it was cut in half from an original four-game suspension. Still, is it that the players are that much more delinquent -- or that Paul Tagliabue was that much of a see-no-evil leader?

Kevin Durant signs with Nike: This has seemed like the obvious choice for months (if not years), but it's finally official. It'll be interesting to see if fans want to wear a Durant signature shoe (if Nike even makes one for him).

57 comments:

I'll comment to the race poll thing first:Why do minorities root for Bonds? Don't just assume its because he's black. As a minority, I root for him to break the record because steroids is really fucking low on the list of injustices in the world. Whereas you will find that many white fans and media condemn Bonds as the worst thing since Hitler. It's all ridiculous. Some folk need a dose of perspective. The home run record is NOT that important. A-Rod will have it in a few years.

What, no MLB Stud for Lou Pinella? The perfectly called pitch-out, two hit-and-runs executed to perfection (the first getting DLee a hit by moving the second baseman with Theriot running and jumping over the ball), and letting Rich Hill go 8 in order to save the bullpen?

The motto popping up around Wrigleyville is very appropriate - "It's Gonna Happen." Cubs fans aren't hopeful anymore - they're quietly confident. Wrigley is becoming a tough place to play, and the Cubs one of hte toughest teams to play.

(Oh yeah....and they got Jason Kendall last night for some minor leaguers. Sure he's been bad at the plate this year, but I'm foreseeing a renaissance in his game by returning to the NL.)

Rafael, I would disagree only in that the HR record IS that important in the context of sports. It's as hallowed a record as there is. But you're right about A-Rod passing Bonds soon. Just not soon enough.

Geoff makes a good point, too. This isn't a race thing as much as it's a cheating thing. Bonds is a cheater. If it were a race thing, Aaron wouldn't be so bitter about his record being broken.

And, Chaddogg, I'm right there with you, buddy. I'm drinking the kool-aid big-time. I love me some LouPa. A-Ram won't get any MVP votes, but he's been as clutch as they come this year.

Oh, I agree its not a race thing. I think the poll, as it is reported by ESPN, portrays the issue as just being race.

I think it was once the most hallowed record, but homeruns in general have been seriously devalued. Everyone can hit them. As a fan, I just don't care as much and don't attach as much skill to hitting a ball far.

And Geoff, just because "another black guy" holds the record, doesn't mean it couldn't be a race thing. Hank Aaron is a "nice" black guy. Therefore almost invisible to society and off most white radar screens ('cept when homers are brought up). Bonds is a "bad" black guy and he's everywhere. For some people, (not close to a majority of people) that's just too much exposure for an uppity .......Just my view from the bottom. Only opinion.

Considering I'm supposed to be one of those easy to control Latinos, I'm surprised I have such a strong opinion. lol

Dan, we didn't have an issue with you leaving Durant off your all summer team. We had issue with the fact that you were blatently wrong when you said he didn't play in the last game when in fact he did play and put up 28 points.

And others have already commented about Schillings 1 hitter when he had a no hitter for 8 2/3. My god Dan are you even trying anymore? The past week or so you've been awful on simple facts.

@ daddy-o:Did I just read "LouPa" and "A-Ram" in the same sentence... this name-drop nickname stuff is getting out of hand.

Here's the thing with Bonds - because the media (read: ESPN) is so in love with the hype, people are forced to have an opinion about him. if ESPN just provided a quick stat line along with the Giants' highlight package every night, most baseball fans - white, black, brown, purple, blue, green or translucent - would be perfectly happy with it.

If ESPN is so insistent on shoving Barry down our collective throats with every Sportscenter, every Baseball Tonight, every "Bonds on Bonds" debacle, there's going to be some blowback from it.

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if the major reaseon a lot of people don't want to see him break the record is that they're simply sick of hearing about it.

If that is the case it just seems to me that it is white folk not wanting to see a giant douchebag set the record. Not necessarily because he is a black douchebag. I am sure whites wouldn't want to see Jason Giambi set the record, either.

I dunno, I just hate when race gets involved in an issue that probably has nothing to do with race.

Jim, Red Sox fans getting excited over Gabbord performance is sort of like Yankees fan getting excited about being 4-1 since the all star break. You have to remember who they played and in both cases the teams they have played have stunk.

I doubt that the poll would conclude that racism determines who we root for if they also included Ken Griffey Jr in their questions. If Junior and Bonds were both choices of who should break the record, I think their conclusions would have been: Barry Bonds is an asshole. And people of ALL races don't like him.

I'm in agreement with geoff on the Bonds issue. I don't think race has much to do with it since he is going to break a record held by a black man. I'm a white guy that's not cheering for Bonds, but in order not to be a racist I'll put it this way. I'm a white guy that wants Aaron to keep the record.

rafael - take the word black out of your statement to read: Aaron is a nice guy. Bonds is a bad guy. That sums it up for me

I love how Bonds is an asshole to everyone. The guy could pull a JoeBoo and sacrifice chickens in the clubhouse if he kept hitting the long ball in my mind.

Best part of living in Chicago is knowing the Cubs will somehow screw up or have some truly shitty divine intervention a la Bartman and I get to be here to witness and laugh like Nero fiddling while Rome burned. What is worse to be in it only to get it taken away by cruel cruel fate or to have no shot in hell and exceed expectations yet still suck?

I agree with many posters, its ridiculous that race is even mentioned in this case. Bonds is a jerk, I actually defended him for awhile because I felt he took too much heat for the steroids thing by himself, but enough already, Bonds has always been concerned about race when it has nothing to do with how people view him. The guy is a bad teammate and a jerk to the media. Recently, he stated A-Rod was his best friend which goes to show that he probably does not have a single friend in this game. I'm sick of race being an issue.

I am not saying that racism does not still exist because recent incidents have shown it has, but it is NOT always an issue. The same thing can be said to you, Mr. Gary Sheffield.

heroin sheik: If that's the best part of living in Chicago for you, you should move to another, more boring city. Something more your speed.

And, you don't have to live in Chicago to "know" the Cubs are going to screw up somehow. You could "know" that from just about anywhere. Case in point: I'm a Cubs fan who doesn't live in Chicago, and I know that the Cubs aren't going to screw this up. This our year! Screw next year.

I completely agree with what Rafael has said about Bonds. I think you nailed it in terms of the race issue.

As far as Gabbard, I think most objective and intelligent Red Sox fans (the five of us that are out there) know that Gabbard isn't really THAT good, so it was just exciting and unexpected to get that result out of him. I could, however, easily see him pitching well enough to bounce Tavarez from his spot in the rotation, and also pitch well enough to keep Lester down in the minors for the rest of the year.

For the Cubs fans out there, just make sure to not get too overly confident/cocky, you don't want people hating you the same way people now hate Red Sox fans... just a warning. Though fortunately you don't have Ben Affleck, so that helps...

Can someone explain Roger Goodell's system for punishing players? It seems so abritrary how many games people get. E.g. Packman gets suspended for a seasone without a conviction and Tank Johnson goes to jail and gets (I think) 6-8 game. Now a couple of DUIs gets you a couple of games. To me, his system seems a bit inconsistant.

Actually the best part of Chicago is how ridiculously cheap the food is and how much they serve you. This has to be the fattest city in America. I won't tell my fiance this because I want to move home but it actually is nice. I just wish I wasn't in the south burbs.

I am just convinced that Bonds is an asshole because of his name Barry Lamar Bonds. Anyone with that middle name I have ever met is an asshole myself included (James Lamarr Douglas). I blame it on the movie Revenge of the Nerds. Probably why Barry couldn't keep it in his pants. You have no idea how many times I have been asked if I was either gay or black solely because of my name. It could be worse, I could be named June Jones.

Wow I just read that the Rays have sold out 3 games this year after only having four all time before this season. Granted we were playing the Yankees and there are a lot of transplants in the Bay area but 36k for a game shows we can fill that place if we could produce a winner. The dome is much better with a smaller capacity. The nosebleed seats are really hard to climb to when you are wasted. Of course it is the only place in the stadium you can get away with smoking a j since you can put it out long before security get to you.

Well you can mark me as one of the 60% that doesn't want to see Bonds break the record and I have already come to grips with the fact that I will be on the losing side. But there is a bright side to this.. in 6 or 7 years when A-Rod is approaching the record it will be euphoria to me to watch him go right on by. And in the end I think the true homerun kings will still be Ruth, Aaron and eventually Rodriguez with Bonds an oddity sandwhiched in there.

On that topic though, there was a bit of a debate on Sportscenter last night on whether or not Bonds should be held out of all away games so he can break the record at home. One of the guys said for the integrity of baseball the league needs to force this to happen so the record is broken at home. I think that is some of the biggest bullshit I have ever heard. Basically he is saying when this record falls the video should show everyone cheering Barry on.. but that's not reality and I personally am only tuning into this record chase with the hopes that the nightmare scenario happens and he hits 756 at an away game and everyone goes apeshit booing and throwing stuff on the field. I know I can't be the only one out there that wants to see that happen.

Tagliabue had a blind eye to many things during his commissionership (is that a word?), especially franchise relocation. As long as the cash was rolling in, Tags didn't care what the fans in the cities who lost teams thought.

Just to clarify my earlier statement, if the Cubs do win it, I will congratulate their true fans who have been waiting forever for it to happen.

What I'll hate is how much ass kissing the local Chicago media will give the Cubs. The Chicago media HATES the White Sox and acts like they a)don't exist or b)are a bunch of nobodies with a huge criminal fanbase (nobody has been murdered at the Cell before, unlike the other ballpark up north). Read http://www.cubune.com if you want to see what I mean. I remember during the championship parade when the Tribune reported "hundreds" of Sox fans present.

I played the Demo of NCAA 08 on the Xbox 360. The gameplay is a lot smoother than it was last year, and apprently they've added quite a few trick play mechanics. I'm waiting for the reviews of it to come out to see if I should pick it up though.

Rafael,I am with you. For some reason, the HR record in baseball has taken on a greater meaning in the eyes of sportsfans than any other record. I believe it is because Ruth held it for so long and now Aaron. The NYSE has set the record high for the Dow Jones index about 30 times this year so it is no big news anymore. The same will be true with the HR record.

Griffey may hold it for a while even. A-Rod will break it like you said. Then who knows - Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder? By the time I am an old man, it will be at 1000 HRs and will be held by 5 different players. By then, Bonds will be another footnote in history.

Did Bonds cheat - sure. However if the best player cheats, it makes him stand out that much more. The pitchers throwing to him were doping and so were all of his peers. Do you think A-Rod never took 'roids, Ryan Howard, Fielder? They all did/do.

Bonds has a few more years at best and like Shanoff said, this is his last in the NL.

This whole Sheffield thing is now beyond ridiculous. Did Torre like Sheff? He probably didn't. I always thought that Sheffield exhibited a narcissistic and generally assholish personality. Now is that because Sheffield is an asshole or is it because he is black? Hmmm.

Sheffield's whole proof is that Torre didn't like Kenny Lofton either. Lofton was pissed off that Bernie Williams was the starter. Only problem was that Lofton was completely washed up and Williams was still producing. How about Womack and Cano? No doubt that anyone would have started Cano.

There simply haven't been a large number of US born black players on the Yankees but the it seems the whole purpose of Sheffield's comment is to try and create a controversy where there wasn't one.

Last big stage in the Alps today. A Columbian rider who I had never heard of, Solar, rode away to get the victory. Pre-race favorite, Vinokorov is out of contention and last year's 3rd place finisher, Kloden is now the team leader.

The Dane, Rasmussen, is still the overall leader by about 2:30-4:00 minutes on the other main contenders. However there are still two long time trials totalling over 100km left. Rasmussen will need to increase his lead since he will most likely lose 6-8 minutes in those. He has 3 stages in the Pyrenees to do it.

American Levi Leipheimer is in 9th place about 3:50 back. He is one of the better time trialists of the top 9 who the winner will come from. Kloden is just as good a time trialist and seems to be OK after cracking his tail bone in a crash.

Sheik: Houston is the fattest city, per some study done last year(?). Mix ridiculuously cheap Tex-Mex with Southern items like Chicken Fried Steak, BBQ, and Deep Fried (insert food here). We all have three chins.

I have 2007 and just can't rationalize spending another $50 on the "new" version. I've been debating getting a PS3 now that they discontinued the 60GB model and dropped the price $100. I'm tempted because it will have better backwards compatability now than the new 80GB one will have. If I do get it, then I'd probably be able to convince myself to by 2008.

God, enough with the fucking race thing. Since when did this blog become Jesse Jackson's personal outlet? Every other day there's a new ridiculous racism topic being posted, with that absurd Okajima 'racism is why he won't get voted into the ASG' being the all time winner of the category.

As for the Cubs/Sox thing, both sports radio stations in the city are pro-Sox and by definition anti-Cubs, so I don't see the media bias in favor of the Cubs here apart from the fact that since more people are interested in them, more is written about them.

I just don't really understand the hatred of Bonds. Is he a jackass? Sure. And how does that make him different than the majority of pro athletes? He also happens to be the greatest player I've ever seen. I can't wait for him to break the record.

I like talking TdF in here with Dan, so to bore you even more with the banter...

The big news (other than Soler) was that some GC contenders finally cracked today. Vino, Schleck, Zubeldia, Kashechin, Pereiro, and Menchov are all too far back to come back given the strength of the riders in the top ten. Which clears up some leadership pictures on the stronger teams (Rabobabk will ride for Rasmussen, CSC for Sastre, and Astana for Kloden).

As for giving y'all a rooting interest, while not an American, you can get behind Australian Cadel Evans or Alberto Contador who rides for USA-based Discovery. Leipheimer still has a shot.

Or we can just root for Rasmussen because his nickname is "Chicken Legs", which might be the best nickname in sports.

If Bonds breaks the record good for him but like everyone has said today A-Rod if he stays healthy is going to hit about 900 home runs so Bonds record will not last long.

The home run chase I am following the rest of the year is Junior Griffey chasing No Habla Sosa for 5th on the all time list. Right now the top 5 is: Aaron, Bonds, Ruth, Mays and Sosa. Say what you will about Bonds but Sosa being in the top 5 is very hard swallow and I hope Jr. gets there this year.

I hate Barry Bonds because he is a prick. Everyone knows he cheated, but baseball has been full of cheaters for a long time. It is a joke for them to somehow now think that they can retroactively enforce a rule that they did not enforce when it was to the MLB's advantage. Let him break the record, let ESPN overhype and oversaturate it and let's all just move on.

Connect With Me

Quickish

About This Blog

DanShanoff.com is a sports-blog spin-off of my long-time ESPN.com column, "The Daily Quickie." Anchored by an early-morning post of must-know topics, the blog is updated frequently throughout the day with new posts and user comments.